007. I'm Living Extremely Happily Right Now, Though?
Goblins are just mob monsters. If you had to rank them, they'd be E to D-rank at best. Any active hunter could hunt them down without breaking a sweat. Even a fresh-faced academy freshman could take them out without much trouble.
But exquisite swordsmanship and mastery of one's body shone even against wooden logs.
...What the hell did I just see?
Shin Arin, professor of the Combat Department, replayed the scene in her hazy, drunken senses. It was close-quarters combat from a physical-type hunter—movements that demanded respect. If you compared raw strength and speed alone, she, an S-rank hunter, would probably edge him out.
But it was ridiculously fluid. Regardless of the premise that he was a relatively weaker male physically, or a brand-new freshman. It was superior judgment and body control in its own right.
Shin Arin watched the man on the screen, and a flicker of greed sparked in her eyes. Not lust, by any means.
I want him as my disciple.
The gaze of a professor spotting prime grad school material. She was working as an educator now, but her identity leaned more toward hunter. After graduating the academy, she'd thrown herself straight into the field and reigned at the top for nearly a decade. Her talents shone brightest in frontline combat, and her personality was aggressively combative to match.
Until now, passing on her skills to juniors had felt like a simple donation of talent.
This guy's insane.
Hmm, she'd need to be cautious around a freshman boy, but honestly? She was hooked. She wanted to stick to him after class, imparting every technique and trick she knew.
The only issue was...
"Whoa, what the fuck was that?"
"Am I just clueless 'cause I'm a magic type? Seemed pretty damn good..."
"Pretty good?"
"Well, he's kinda hot, maybe that's it."
"Professor Choi. This isn't about gender. The guy's just nuts."
The reactions differed only in degree, but everyone around her felt the same shock. Even the usually silent magic professor stood and sidled closer.
As rivals multiplied, Shin Arin felt a twinge of impatience and checked the date.
And realized something.
"Ah."
Still mid-February. Two weeks until classes started. She fidgeted restlessly in her seat.
"Ah."
Even I, having reached the pinnacle as a hero, sometimes lost control of my body. Moments when emotion overrode reason. My body would tremble involuntarily, or an exclamation would slip out.
Like right now.
-- "Th-then I'll give you half of mine, so give me half of yours! Edward."
-- "Enri, you idiot, I can give you all of it without you asking."
Revisiting an all-time anime masterpiece from the industry, but the protagonists—an alchemist and engineer—had their genders swapped.
I appreciate the charm of gender-bent fantasies. So I enjoyed it on its own terms, but seeing iconic lines twisted like this...
"Damn, it's weirdly bullshit."
Fuck, give me back my little Edward. Give me back my pure yet tomboyish prize of a heroine, Enri.
Well, truth be told, I enjoyed the fresh scenes and twists while grumbling.
Just think of it as a parallel world masterpiece. Demands refunds for eyes and brain aside, wouldn't this appeal to folks craving a revisit? The gender flips and subtle balance shifts might cause some nosebleeds, but...
"Still, the quality holds up."
A masterpiece remains one, even gender-swapped. Bizarrely, some characters kept their genders and everything intact despite the world shift. Others were completely flipped, but the world-building, story, and character depth were top-tier.
Masterpieces endure world changes, huh.
-- GalVengers, assemble.
Why the hell this one, though? I still couldn't figure it out. How could something this absurd exist in reality? Was I hallucinating?
"Ugh, my head."
Pressing my brow to erase the horrific memory, I munched on potato chips and browsed for new anime or dramas.
The trick to burying negative memories and emotions is overwriting them with positives. All part of the strategy.
Someone seemed displeased with my happy life, though.
'Goddess of Order' furrows her brows in fury, condemning the hero's laziness.
(¬_¬)
Asks what kind of shut-in hero are you?
"Whatever. No Demon King, so hero job's done, right?"
[...No, a hero turning into the Demon King is seriously bad!]
"Goddess, you said voicing directly into another world drains your divine power like crazy. Calm down."
[It's fine sometimes! More importantly, you haven't left the house once since school started. You're in the modern world now—go out and enjoy your youth! What's fun about holing up?]
"Goddess, show some respect for introverts."
A while back, orientation and the level test wrapped up. Classes hadn't truly begun yet.
For fun, the goddess and I took an MBTI test. I'm INFJ—introvert through and through. After outings, recharging in my room is the natural order.
Thus, blissful recharge time now.
[...No, is this hero life for real?]
Sounded like a mercy goddess complaining, but probably my imagination.
She tested too—INFP, even more extreme than me. A shut-in voyeur goddess lecturing on going out? Total hypocrisy.
"This hits the spot."
Popping the last chips, I picked Netflix's hot exclusive anime. High school rom-com—cliché at first glance.
But to me from another world, high production values and diverse characters made it comfy fun.
'Goddess of Order' vents her frustration at the lazy hero.
Back to messages—her divine tank must've emptied.
Lame voyeur goddess.
Goddess gasps in shock at the hero's words.
Wide-eyed, she condemns the hero's blasphemy...
I ignored the explosive messages and kept watching.
-- "W-well, our classmates think we're d-dating."
-- "So what if they misunderstand? Aren't we close?"
-- "Y-yeah, but... "
Hmm, shy but resolute heroine and friendly youthful male lead. Fresh take on a classic setup.
Hope the guy isn't too pushy, or the girl too frustrating.
-- "Kenichi, let's date."
-- "Huh?"
-- "I love you. I like you too much."
"Oh, heroine confesses first."
Nice rom-com vibes.
Goddess nags you to get a girlfriend already.
(-_-)
Ah, fact bomb, ease up.
The goddess thinks I can't date as a hero, but truth is, I just don't.
In the fantasy world? I could've had over a hundred priestesses and concubines if I wanted.
But here I am.
"After all that hardship, I can't just skip dating and jump to marriage."
Yeah, anyway, I don't.
Of course, I admit it's about time. Love jungle, university safari. Weather's still chilly, but spring's nominal chaos—March couple boom, second only to pre-Christmas.
"Plenty of college rom-coms out there."
Goddess advises you to live in reality.
"I'm living reality by going out today?"
Complains whether holing up at home until the day before classes is right.
Breaks are either full-month shut-in, marathon part-times, or overseas trips—extremes. Goddess doesn't get it yet.
"I wandered from fantasy worlds to alien stars. Time to take it slow here."
Balance is key. After 20 years roaming, a few months off ain't bad?
Dating follows suit. Fanatic faith there means modest romance here.
Goddess covers her mouth with her hands, saddened.
(T_T)
My grinding talk or her own love life? She started sniffling.
No, I'm living extremely happily right now, though?
...Well, I was feeling it'd be nice to try love.
Hero party was all uncle types—no crushes possible.
College now, so maybe someone?
Goddess sobs even harder.
(T^T)
Stop crying already.
That reaction might keep me single forever. Baffled by the relentless flags, I soothed the crybaby voyeur goddess and entered the apartment complex convenience store for breakfast.
Familiar face at the register made it oddly welcoming.
"Ah, hello. Good morning..."
"Yeah, morning."
Shy type—face flushing cutely. Frequent encounters built inner rapport. Reminded me of my own part-time days long ago...
Goddess's eyes widen in anticipation.
"Th-that'll be 4,200 won."
"Thanks."
Paid quick and left. Wanted to chat, but nah—pestering workers is rude. I get her mindset.
Goddess says shut up and confess already.